Sail Townsville - a massive boost forQueensland Sailing

SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (August 29th to September 3rd 2013) now in its seventh year had a significant event on the big boat sailing scene in Far North Queensland, with growing fleets and ever growing tourism benefits.

In 2011 the off the beach F18 Australian Championships was sailed very successfully within the Magnetic Island Race Week, which is a strong and growing keel boat regatta.

Building on this success, Yachting Queensland has joined with Townsville sailing community, sponsor and government to develop a larger event which will provide long term benefits at every level.

The inaugural Sail Townsville event will run from 24 August until 3 September will be a culmination of SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week, ‘Townsville Alive’ a mainland Community, Arts and Entertainment Festival and a Yachting Queensland Multi-Class Regatta. Yachting Queensland is facilitating five events as well as a Discover Sailing Week.

Ben Callard from Yachting Queensland commented today 'Sail Townsville will be an annual event, with a group of core regattas. The aim is to attach each year a significant state, Australian title event or going forward World Championship, providing opportunity for Far North Queensland sailors to have representative sporting opportunities in what has become one of Australia´s most successful internationally competitive sports.

The Townsville Sailing Club in conjunction with Yachting Queensland invites all sailors to attend the event that will be conducted on the pristine waters of Cleveland Bay. The regatta is open to all ‘off the beach’ classes and includes the Queensland F18 State Championships, Queensland Taser State Championships, Kite Townsville Championships, Sail Townsville Open Dinghy Regatta and the North Queensland Youth Championships.

The Notice of Race and event information and registration is now available online at ww.qldyachtingqueensland.org.au

A significant extra element of Sail Townsville is Discover Sailing Week from August 26th to 30th.

Lyndsey Wessel, the Sports Development Officer from Yachting Queensland explains a key aim is to develop sailing in Queensland and the Discover Sailing Week will provide a tremendous opportunity to do so.

Discover Sailing Week will leave a lasting legacy on the community, with hopes of exposing 500 primary school children and members of the public the opportunity to experience how fun and accessible sailing is.

If you would like to book in a Discover Sailing experience please express your interest here: http://www.qldyachting.org.au/event.asp?ID=55850&format=popup.

Please contact Lyndsey Wessel (sportdevelopment@qldyachting.org.au) if you would like more information.

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